E is the “Habitual Present” tense marker. It changes the occurrence of an event to something that usually, habitually, and presently happens. When used with descriptive pronouns, tense marker “E” changes to “te” and combined with a descriptive pronoun (explained in more detail in the “te” lesson. Like all tense markers, it appears before a verb or main idea and modifies it’s tense. For example:
If someone were to ask you, “It’s so noisy outside. What do you do to escape the noise?”.
You reply, “I go in the house”.
Since you habitually, usually, and presently go in the house to avoid the noise, you would use the “E” tense marker.
Descriptive Structure
Ou te alu i le fale. – I (habitually, usually, presently) go in the house.
Emphatic Structure
E alu a’u i le fale.- I (habitually, usually, presently) go in the house.
Emphatic pronouns are used with the Emphatic Structure. Descriptive pronouns are used with the “te” Descriptive Structure seen above.
Noun Phrase
O a’u e alu i le fale. I (habitually, usually, presently) go in the house.
E is the “Habitual Present” tense marker. It changes the occurrence of an event to something that usually, habitually, and presently happens. When used with descriptive pronouns, tense marker “E” changes to “te” and combined with a descriptive pronoun. Like all tense markers, it appears before a verb or main idea and modifies it’s tense. For example:
If someone were to ask you, “It’s so noisy outside. What do you do to escape the noise?”.
You reply, “I go in the house” or “Ou te alu i fale”.
Since you habitually, usually, and presently go in the house to avoid the noise, you would use the “E” tense marker. If you use the descriptive sentence structure you would use a descriptive pronoun and then “te”.
Descriptive Structure is only used for “te”.
Descriptive Pronoun + te = Tense marker with pronoun included.
Ou te alu i le fale. – I go in the house.
E te alu i le fale.- You go in the house.
Lua te o i le fale. You two go in the house.
Ma te o i le fale. – We (2 exclusive) go in the house.
Ta te o i le fale. – We (2 inclusive) go in the house.
La te o i le fale. – They (those 2) go in the house.
Matou te o i le fale – We (3+ exclusive) go in the house.
Tatou te o i le fale – We (3+ inclusive) go in the house.
Latou te o i le fale. – Those (3+) goo in the house.
Tou te o i le fale. – You all (3+) go in the house.
*Emphatic pronouns are used with the Emphatic Structure. Visit the Habitual Tense Marker “E” lesson for more information.
